In a statement released by the White House on Friday, the two countries – which are the largest markets for illegal ivory – said they would enact a nearly complete ban on the import and export of ivory.

The ban would cover “significant and timely restrictions on the import of ivory as hunting trophies” as well as unspecified “significant and timely steps to halt the domestic commercial trade of ivory.”

The announcement follows a decision by China to phase out the legal, domestic manufacture and sale of ivory products in May.

In December, a report released by Save the Elephants and the Aspinall Foundation found that the wholesale price of raw elephant tusks had tripled in just four years since 2010.

Cutting the supply of ivory to the Chinese market is seen as an crucial step in reducing the loss of Africa’s elephants to poaching.

China must act, but Africa needs to take the lead to stop ivory trade | Paula Kahumbu

Read more

The White House said the US and China would cooperate with other nations in a comprehensive effort to combat wildlife trafficking.

Support for a ban on the ivory trade is high in China according to a March 2015 survey conducted by WildAid, African Wildlife Foundation and Save The Elephants.

Ninety-five per cent of respondents surveyed in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou said that the government should impose an ivory sales ban. The survey also found that awareness of ivory poaching had increased by 50% since 2012.